The Key
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: After Season 4: Jim realized connect tech was to much on its own so created a key to use it. What if said key had a conscious and could decided if you could use it or not? What would it do...on a day to day basis while trying to be a normal Ultralink?
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors Notes: If you haven't watch Season/series 4 (Team Turbo) this is going to be a bit weird. Its on Youtube you should go watch it.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Max Steel, Mattel does!**_

* * *

 _ **Key**_

 _ **Chapter 1**_

 _ **I made it**_

Hovering in front of Max and Steel was that of a shadowed form. It was completely un-moving and honestly looked as if it were asleep. It lay there in the air as if it were laying on an invisible bed. No color but a heavy dark silhouette as if it hadn't decided on what it wanted to look like yet.

Jim stood not to far away with a datapad in one hand and a stylis in the other. He tapped a few times onto the datapad and handed it to a technician who walked back over to a computer and attached it.

"She's a key."

"She?" Max asked his father. The man looked a lot like Max except a few features and height.

"Yes we figured that if we were to continue to use connect tech we needed to work smarter at it. She will be connected to its interfacing tool. She will decide weather you are going to use the tech. We figured a key with a conscious would be best. Mortum nearly enslaved the whole world. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

"So fire her up and lets see how it works." Steel said rubbing his 'hands' together.

"Well we're having a bit of trouble with that I'm afraid. She won't turn on. We've tried everything, now we're going back to check to see if we did something wrong with her." Jim opened up something on her chest cavity and shook his head looking over the panels and wires. Max wouldn't be able to help him with this sort of stuff. He just wasn't an engineer like his dad.

"You tried to use Turbo?" Max asked his dad he put his head on one of his hands and nodded. "bringing the new connect tech over?" Max asked. The old one having been destroyed.

Steel looked down at her from his higher view.

"What about her..." Their was an electric arch between him and the girls chest.

Jim jumped from his spot having been shocked by the connection. He looked up at Steel who was rubbing his 'hand'

"Maybe since it was created from you...it needs you to activate it?"

"This was also created from Steel? Wouldn't that make it his daughter or something?" Max joked. Jim however nodded his head and shrugged.

"Yes it would."

"My own...ultralink?" Steel said looking down at the Key and reached down again. The arch came from her head this time attaching itself to Steels own head. The heat from the connection was so intense and bright they couldn't see what was going on.

"Steel?" Max called out having to cover his eyes from the discharge.

Finally after a few moments the light dimmed showing a young girl pulled in on herself. Hugging Steel to her chest. A soft smile across her lips, and dark black hair.

"Key?" Jim asked. Her bright blue eyes tiredly opened and she looked down at Jim.

"Steel?" Max asked reaching for Steel. Steel waved at him not really wanting to break the hug between himself and the Key.

"She's so...cool." He said looking up at the girl.

"I'm afraid my activation might have depleted his turbo reserves." The Key said holding Steel out to Max who took him.

"Key if you'll follow me we'll run some tests to make sure your running smoothly." Jim said holding out his hand to her. That was when Jim noticed that she wasn't walking, she was hovering much like Steel would.

"Is this...unusual?" She finally asked landing on the floor.

"No one else flies around like that." Jim chuckled and held up his hand.

"Although I think it would be fun." Max said and looked at Steel.

"Oh you love it when we go flying all the time." Steel chuckled waving at his Linked friend.

The Key sat on a bed watching Jim and several of the nurses, doctors, even a young man whose hair was wild, and his clothing was ripped up. She wondered if he just liked his clothing that way.

Key jumped when she felt someone sit next to her. She turned seeing that white, black, and blue armor she saw earlier. Her other fathers friend. No bonded brother is the word Steel had used in her mind. She smiled looking up at him.

"You looked confused."

"His clothing." Key said pointing at Barto. Barto looked up from his work and smiled at her.

"its just my style." He said running his hands over his lab coat. "Also keeps my sleeves out of my work." He shrugged and went back down to what he was doing.

"Clothing...should I be wearing them?" She asked looking down at her black jump suit that looked a lot like the black mesh under his armor.

"We'll go into that when dads done."

"Dad? What is...dad?" She look confused.

"He's Maxes male creator."

"Like you are mine?" She asked looking at Jim nodding his head.

"Well we all had a hand in creating you. But your mind, your activation, even your coloring is souly Steel. If anyone is your uh...male creator...its him." Jim said feeling like he dodged a bullet. What would Molly think if he arrived home to a young woman calling him dad.

"Do I call Steel dad as Max calls you dad?"

"Thats up to him." Jim said looking at Steel who had his 'hands' over his faceplate.

"I'm a daddy..." was the squeaky reply.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Key**_

 _ **Chapter 2**_

 _Wait...now?_

Key looked around the apartment that belonged to her newly acquired father. It was a really small apartment with just two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, and a small kitchen. She peeked into every room just curious as to what they were. She looked up as Max walked by putting his backpack into his room.

"Let me guess...you didn't think that far into this did you?" Molly asked her arms crossed.

"I didn't think that Steel turning her on like that would involuntarily create a link between the two of them. Its...a wonderful find."

"It also allows Steel to have some family too...who are actually his family instead of just us." Max said he had once worried that Steel was getting lonely.

"Awe Max I still love you man." Steel said watching his newly acquired daughter look outside the floor to ceiling window. They were pretty high up.

"Oh wow...tiny people." She looked up at Steel who chuckled at her curious voice.

"Well they aren't tiny they look like that because their 8 stories down." He said and pointed up to the other balconies. "They'd look even smaller from all the way up there." The Key looked at Steel seeing this as an invitation and was about to hover up to the roof.

"No no you stay on the ground while in view of everyone else. If they were to see you out there hovering like this...they probably won't like it to much. Specially with what just happened to everyone." Max said having taken Keys hand and pulled her back onto the balcony.

"Oh I see...you mean what Mortum did to humanity."

"It was the reason for your creation." Jim said handing her a cup with water in it.

"She can eat?" Max asked looking at her as she sipped the liquid.

"No and yes. She is much like Steel now. Although her body needs water to continue to cool itself. If you ever see her panting she needs water quick or she'll just down. A fail safe I programmed into her."

"What about the turbo energy output? When do we have to link up?" Max asked.

"Well I don't know. Thats something Steel programmed into her." Jim said Steel was making himself comfortable on the couch.

"Well the way I programmed her. She's linked to me...and I link to you. So I'll have to be linked to you for her to link with you also." Steel said and hovered up in front of Maxes face. "Not only that but she comes with her own set of armor she can incorporate into you to better shield herself from people trying to get to her. Isn't she beautiful?" He looked around at the girl who blushed bright purple over the silver cup.

"Oh clothing?!" She looked down at herself and over at Molly. Molly looked down at herself.

"What?!"

"Well you are the only other female she's met." Jim offered.

"Oh you don't have to purchase anything. I can do as dad does with brother and use a hologram over my armor. I just...don't know what to do with clothing. What is proper for a young lady?" She said and looked up at Jim who needed his head pushing him toward Molly who grumbled.

"Think of her as the daughter you never had that you always wanted to dress up."

"I never wanted a daughter to dress up. I'm fine with just Max." She crossed her arms and then looked at Steel who seemed slightly broken hearted. If that were even possible for an ultralink. She then looked at the other ultralink who seemed slightly bummed out. She jumped slightly when Molly sighed. She was worried she had angered the woman. She had felt her through her fathers link that she could be a bit...irrational at times. She was a female warrior after all.

"Oh fine...come with me. We'll look on the internet. You can scan something there." Molly said her smile on her face was infectious.

"Thank you Max's mom." Suddenly dawning on her that she hadn't introduced herself.

"I'm Molly by the way." She held out her hand. The Key looked at Molly and then looked at her father and blinked.

"I...I don't have a name...do I?" She looked at Steel then at Jim. Both of which looked at one another then at Max. Max shrugged his shoulders.

"Shouldn't it be Steel who names her?" Max asked. Steel gasped.

"I get to name her?" Steel asked. He thought for a second and shrugged his shoulders. "I...I'm not good with this. I don't know any good names." Steel looked around the room and saw a box with half a pizza box showing from behind the trash can.

"Near." He said officially. The box had 'Little Nearos Pizza' on it. But Near was the name he was going for.

"Oh Steel you can do better then that." Jim said and looked at the Key who nodded her head.

"I like it!" She said hugging her father to her. "Hello dad my name is Near." She giggled rolling in mid air. Lucky for her she was pretty short or she probably would have bumped into things. As a matter of fact her head fit just under Max's chin. Which was perfect because Steel put her own Steel interface on her back so she could link up with them both.

"Armor? Does it look like Max's armor or is it new?" Molly asked bringing her laptop into the living room setting it down on the coffee table.

"Its...my armor?" Near looked confused for a second.

"Oh its her own alright. But a little smaller, and more blue...kind of." Steel said showing a picture of what it would look like using his optical lighting.

"But wait...her Steely thing is on her back?" Max asked moving Nears hair out of the way. It was true the symbol was on her back bright and glowing blue even though the rest of her suit was completely black.

"But why isn't she wearing it like Max normally does?" Molly asked.

"She hasn't accessed it yet. I don't think she realizes she has it." Steel said looking at Near. She looked down at herself. Looking deep in thought for a moment till her armor appeared much like Max's did.

"But does that mean she can fight like Max can?" Molly asked. Jim shook his head.

"I never taught her to fight. She is just a key, Steel just gave her the ability to survive if threatened, thats all." Jim said watching as Near sat down next to Molly expecting Molly to push her away, but was rather amazed that Molly scooted just a little closer so Near could see the screen better.

Soon enough Near stood in the middle of the room wearing a bright blue turtle neck with a black jacket on with the Steel symbol on her back still, and white pants. They were still trying to figure out shoes when Near yawned and her hover sent her to the ground slowly.

"I think someones tired." Molly said looking up at Jim who chuckled and went over to the closet. Molly motioned for Near to walk back over to the couch and showed her something on the computer screen. Near nodded and changed her hologram to a comfy looking night shirt, and pants. She gasped when she realized she had toes. She looked up at Steel who giggled and touched them.

"Oh look at those toes."

Jim rolled his eyes and looked at Max.

"Was he always this giddy about things?"

"You should have seen him with ducklings, and puppies." Max said and sighed.

"Hey! I'm allowed to call my daughters toes cute if I want to...she's mine...and I haven't got any. She must have gotten it from you Jim." Steel crossed his arms and looked down at Near who pulled her father into a hug and kissed the top of his head.

"I suppose you sleep in Max's room then?" She said to him. Steel nodded his helm and looked up at Max.

"Slumber party?" Steel offered Max chuckled and shook his head.

"I have school in the morning."

"Whats...school?" Near asked which the concept was never taught to her.

" Oh yeah..."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Authors Notes: Once again this is from after season 4. So that means its been 2 years after season 1. Max should be 18 or 19 now.**_

* * *

 _ **The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 3**_

 _ **Mittens  
**_

Jim woke up the next morning early as he normally did. He expected Near to be sleeping on the couch, but she wasn't there. He peaked into Max's room seeing all three in a pile snoring away. Max was on one side on his back one arm thrown over his head and the other being used as a pillow by Near. Steel was on Max's chest as usual, but Near had her hand on top of him. Maybe this is just how things were going to be from now on. Although...none of them were under a blanket. Must have fallen asleep while watching tv, since it was still on the mystery channel. A channel Steel had started watching religiously lately.

Jim turned away from the slumbering group and into the kitchen. Max had been woken up about thirty minutes later by his mother in the kitchen making breakfast. He slowly turned his head to see Near sleeping curled up in a tiny ball against his hip. Her hand resting cutely on his chest which held Steel down securely. They had linked up just before bed, and this is how it ended up.

"Max time to wake up. School today." Molly looked in just in time to see Near sit up and rub her eyes. A very human thing to do actually.

"Good morning ma'me." Near yawned stretching.

"Hey Jim? She'll be able to take showers like we all do right?"

"Yup, and swim too. Which reminds me. I guess it'll be alright for you to follow Max to school today if your careful and stay with him."

"Follow me! Dad she's not a puppy."

"Whats a...puppy?"

"The tiny offspring of dogs." Steel offered.

"Oh you mean like those ones from your police shows we seen last night?" Near asked taking the glass of water from Molly.

"Yes it is my love." Steel said then thought of something. "She'll be able to go to school? Would she be able to catch up to Max or is she already that smart? How smart is she?" Steel asked watching Near drink her water as she changed from her night ware to her day ware.

" I am at Max's school level. He is in college yes?" Near asked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean much since...well he's still not sure what he's going for. He's just taking classes he knows he'll need as Max Steel." Steel said leaning on the toaster. Jim sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"The boy knows what he can and can't do. I can't argue with that." Jim said watching his son fish a towel out of the closet before going into the bathroom.

"Would you like me to help you clean Ma'me?" Near asked picking up a few dishes and walked over to the sink. Molly smiled and nodded.

"Thank you Near. Thats very helpful." Molly looked at Jim who chuckled and looked at Steel.

"I didn't put that into her head."

"Neither did I...although now that we linked last night I can feel when she laughs in her head when something makes her curious before she goes to touch it. She went to touch Max's cell phone last night when Sidney called him, and I told her not to she acted like I slapped her hand. Sat back down on the bed. This morning when he got an email she looked up at me as if asking permission before touching it at all. She's learning quickly not to do things at least."

"She's smart, but the question is...will she allow anyone other then you to touch the Connect Tech?" Jim said looking up at Near. She was washing the dishes and handing them to Molly who was drying them.

"I know my duty Jim...I know what I am to do if someone wishes to use connect tech. Its something I shouldn't take lightly. I do not want what happened last time to happen again." Near said she looked up at Steel. "Mortum pulled my dad apart...piece by piece to get what he wanted. I seen the images in Max's mind...its not a pleasant thought." Near said looking up at Max who shook his head agreeing with Near.

"Its not a very good thought at all, something I don't want to happen again. I was so scared I wouldn't see or talk to Steel ever again. I felt what they did to him, I felt each piece being pulled from him." Max said running the towel over his head.

"Max can you get dressed...in the bathroom?" His dad said motioning to the fact that he still wasn't wearing any pants. He just stood there in his underwear. Near looked up at Jim blushing. She hadn't even noticed until he said something. She turned away as Max pulled on his pants.

"Kids..." Steel chuckled.

(;)

Near looked into the faces of both Rayne, and Alex. She knew them from Max and Steels memories, but meeting them in the flesh almost seemed like a dream. She was a lot shorter then Rayne was.

"So she's...Steels daughter?" Alex asked. Steel poofed out his chest proudly.

"Yes sir she is. Isn't she beautiful." Steel hugged up to his daughter who just giggled hugging him to her too. She was beginning to see that its okay for Steel to hug her. She would sometimes touch his 'hand' as if to hold it.

Thats when Max realized something peculiar about Near. He held up his hand then looked at hers. She moved her first, thumb and the rest of her fingers together much like someone would a mitten rather then moving them individually.

"Hey Near? Do this with your hand." He wiggled all his fingers. She held her hand up and tried to do that, but she moved her pinky, ring finger, and middle finger together rather then separately.

"How odd." Steel said looking at his own hand. She looked at her hand and then at Max's and then at Steels. She couldn't move her fingers at all which annoyed her to no end. Finally Max had to grab her hand to get her to stop trying to move them individually.

"Hey its fine. You can just be like your dad." Rayne said and giggled when Near smiled. "She's easily pleased. Come on lets go show her to Cytro." Rayne said.


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 4**_

 _ **Uh Oh**_

Near looked up at the huge impressive looking robot tank. He also looked down at her, but not for as long as she did.

"Introduction: I am Cytro." He offered holding out his own hand to the ever curious Near.

"I am Near." She shook his hand with the biggest smile anyone ever did with him. Everyone always just looked on in disbelief or didn't even take his hand because they were afraid of him. Near jumped when she felt something on her leg. She looked down to see a small cat winding itself through her legs or around them.

"Oh look at you. I've never touched an actual cat before. I've only seen one on a poster at brothers school. "

"Brother?" Rayne asked. Max shrugged his shoulders.

"Since dad made her and Steel woke her up she's been calling us as if we were family. Even calls Steel her dad."

"How does your mom take it." Alex asked poring himself some coffee.

"She was a bit mad about it at first, but she realized we needed Near this way. Even talked about clothing at the moment. Only problem is her shoes." He pointed down to the fact that she was still padding around in the black socks she was before.

"What?" She looked up when Barto walked into the room carrying some heavy boots.

"Its all we have in the stock room that look like they might fit her. Near looked over the shoes and then down at her own feet.

"Do I have to?" She looked at Steel. He shrugged and pointed to the boots.

"I don't want you to hurt your feet Near." Steel said motioning for her to scan the shoes. She did as he asked and looked back down at her feet.

"Oh that never gets old. I wish I could do that. Just scan a picture on a wall and wear whatever the model has on." Rayne said watching Near walk around the room trying out the new shoes.

"They're so bulky." She said and looked down at Bertos feet. She smiled scanning his shoes and put those ones on instead but made them a bright blue.

"Much better." She giggled bouncing up and down in them.

"I know right?" Berto chuckled at her choice of foot ware.

"Oh no..." Steel slapped his forehead.

Forge walked into the room having heard the noise from across the hall. He had never met the new connect tech key and had no idea Near was one.

"Alright what did I tell you all about bringing new people in without authorization?" Forge asked glaring at his cheif science officer.

"Shes an Ultralink Commander."

"An Ultralink?" He went for his gun. Everyone in the room jumped in front of the commander who reacted on instinct.

"Its alright Forge..." Jims voice said as he walked by the room. "She's with Steel." He finished.

"What do you mean hear with Steel? Jim?"

"Oh she's the Key I was telling you about."

"And you only waited till now to tell me?" Forge grumbled looking at Near who went up to his chest plate and touched the tear in his armor.

"You have seen your fair share haven't you?" She said Forge looked lost for a second there before looking up at Jim.

"She is very curious." Jim said motioning for Berto to follow him.

"Yeah I can see that." Forge said looking on as Near walked around the room looking over all the things in the lab, but not touching anything. Steel watched from his spot next to Max. Suddenly Near turned and walked over toward Max who seemed to turn around and nod to her. She must have said something or Steel did. Steel disappeared into Max's chest like he normally did. But Max put his arms around Near who then also disappeared. This was unusual to Forge he had never seen a double link like this. He wasn't aware a link like this could accrue. A first of its kind.

"Max...doesn't that...hurt?"

"Actually no, its just...warm." He said touching his chest. "She doesn't talk all that much, just listens to instructions or giggles. She is a bit heavy though." He said jumping up and down.

"Heavy?" Forge asked pushing Max a little to make sure he wasn't physically heavy.

"Yeah, she's supposed to be additional armor or weapons brought through from the connect tech." Max said and motioned for Forge to step back. Near stepped from her hiding place within Max.

"But I will only be used as a defense for others. I refuse to be a toy." She said picking up a magazine that Berto had.

"Of course you aren't a toy. I never see Steel as a toy. Actually I seen him as family." Max said. Near nodded her head and showed a picture of an advertisement in the magazine.

"I also see you two as family. Jim doesn't wish for me to call him dad as I do Steel. But that is also alright. He is free to do so...but you are alright with me calling you brother then?"

"Of course. It might help with the confusion of you just popping up in town. Although I don't know how I'm going to explain you to Sidney."

"Sidney...this girl you have feelings for?" Near asked. Max nodded and sighed sitting down in a chair.

"Just tell her the truth. She already knows you are Max Steel, she's known for some time. No more secrets between you two is what you agreed on." Near said

"Yeah your right."

"Alright now that we've got that figured out...an hour in the sim might do you five some good." Forge said chuckling as the sub adults began to grumble. "What did you think you were going to do here? Show of your new baby sister and get away with it? Time to show of for her team!" Forge said motioning for Near to follow him so she could watch from the viewing area above the room.

"They'll be alright?" Near asked Forge who laughed.

"Of course they've used this room and destroyed in hundreds of thousands of times. " Forge pushed a few buttons and watched as an army showed up all around the team.

"This is supposed to promote team work?"

"Yes it is. Also to be ready for anything." Forge changed the elements in the room so it would make it harder for the team to work with. By the time they got out of the room, they were wet, muddy, and smelly.

"Are you alright?" Near asked hearing the groans and grumbles.

"No problem babe." Steel said shaking the mud from his faceplate.

"I'd hug you but your all dirty." She giggled She gasped when Rayne grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"Just sharing the wealth." She giggled and ran toward the bathroom.

"My sister can be pretty...generous." Berto said handing a towel to Near.

"I see...perhaps I should think of a way to pay her back for her generosity?" Near said


	5. Chapter 5

_**Authors Notes: Thanks so much for reading, but don't forget to review.**_

* * *

 _ **The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 5**_

 _ **Pranks**_

Luckily Near knew exactly what she was doing. She had seen it before in a movie they recently watched. She wasn't sure what it was called, but the pranks were so funny. She walked into the shower room seeing Raynes shoes. She picked them up and walked back outside where it was raining hard. She shoveled some wet sand into them and walked back into the shower rooms. Forge watched from where he stood shaking his head.

"She is just like her father." He looked up at Jim who was attempting to enjoy his coffee break before getting back to work. This probably meant he wasn't going to enjoy it for long.

About fifteen minutes later a scream echoed throughout the base. Near looked up as she heard it and giggled. The boys looked outside the boys shower room toward the girls locker room.

"Who put mud in my shoe!" Rayne yelled walking out and looked at the boys who jumped back into their locker room hoping to avoid her glare. They knew how hot headed she really was.

"Wasn't me!" Steel also ran into the boys bathroom. Near was still picking mud out of her hair. She was thinking perhaps it might be time to wash it now that their was dried articles of earth hanging off it.

"Near?" Jim said from outside of the room.

"Yes?"

"Was it you?" He asked actually just trying to see if she even knew how to lie.

"Yes." She said looking up at Rayne who looked mad at first seeing the mud in Nears hair. Her anger kind of melted away when she saw it.

"You need to wash that out. Muds supposed to be good for your skin, but not your hair." She motioned for Near to follow her. This would actually be Nears first shower.

Jim chuckled hearing Near cry out for a moment. Steel looked at odds with himself wanting to go in after her. Then he heard Rayne.

"Does she not have a 'naked mode' so she can shower?"

"Its a hologram. It doesn't get wet. Took Max a week to realize that." Steel called into the steam filled room.

Finally after about fifteen minutes Near left the room with wet hair and still dry clothing.

"I put on a bathing suit hologram. I think it helped the illusion." Near said hearing Rayne giggle.

"She has a bathing suit that looks like a cat." Rayne watched as Near walked over to the large floor to ceiling window that showed the hanger. She slowly floated up a little to see more. The humans had a lot more to use at their disposal why was the connect tech even needed if they had all this? Plus her dad and brother were a force as well as the team they trained with. She knew the team itself had been created through the former connect tech, but what was she good for? She looked around having noticed that she was being stared at. She turned around to see a very heavy set man with a sandwich in his hand. He simply looked at Jim.

"Yours?"

"Sort of. She's an Ultralink." He simply said and Steel looked up.

"We made her. Isn't she adorable?" Near blushed at her dads fawning over her.

"I'm not that pretty." She said looking at them. All of them shook their heads. But then again Near didn't have much of a concept of beauty in the first place. She was created yesterday.

"You're beautiful." Steel said putting each one of his hands on her cheeks. "Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise only my opinion counts." Steel said causing Near the blush deeply.

"Dad stop it." She said turning away trying to hide her face.

"No." Steel teased. This ended up with everyone of the team running after Near. Steel stopped however mid play and watched Near for a moment before disappearing before anyone else noticed. He hovered back minutes later with a bottle of water.

"Near?" Steel called holding out the water bottle. Near stopped realizing that she had begun to pant. Her cheeks were a visible red too. She smiled at Steel taking the water bottle and sat down with her back against the wall.

"She eats?" Alex asked.

"Nah she's liquid cooled so she has to keep drinking water." Max said " Not sure if she swallows or if its like a gas tank of a car." Max said looking up at his dad who shrugged.

"I didn't design that part. Dr. Forester did." Jim watching from his place at the top of the stairs.

"Wait...Dr. Forester...my college professor?" Max asked. Jim laughed pretty hard...harder then he intended clapping his son on the back.

"The college you go to is N Tek funded. Everyone there is a member of our organization so knows exactly who you are and Steel. Thats why I allowed for Near to go with you today."

"Does Near know about Dr. Forester?"

"I'm afraid not. She wasn't there during her activation and probably doesn't know about the college either. She's...where did she go?" Jim looked around seeing the empty water bottle in the recycle bin and the girl was no where to be seen.

"Maybe she went to the ladies room?" Alex asked looking around also. Rayne shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't look at me. I didn't know keys had to pee."

Steel looked around scanning for her signature since they were linked.

"She must have gotten curious and walked off. She thinks she's safe here." Steel flew off toward the break room. Inside was Jefferson making one of his famous sandwiches. Near giggled remembering him from earlier so just kept going. She looked out the huge windows seeing the bug jets, vehicles, and motorcycles. A tank moved into position near the entrance to the cave. Her smile disappeared as she once again thought, with all this firepower, with all thats hidden in the ice box...what more could they want from the connect tek. What could she be useful for? She was useless in this form until someone needed that thing. She sighed nearly jumping out of her skin when she felt someones arms around her shoulders. She rested her hands on Maxs.

"Tanks, missiles, guns...so many things here to destroy...what good can I do? What good can one little ultralink be against all that? I can do nothing except unlock a killing machine." She shivered under his arms. He never thought of the negative effects this could have on her.

"What good am I? What could I do to make anything better? Whats worse...my uselessness will soon wear on you and Steel and you'll not want me around. I've seen it in others. I've read the books in the library of the college while you were in class. War...its ever present and no matter who has a bigger gun...someone just comes along to build a much bigger one. I don't want to be used to kill Max."

"Then don't...be used to save. You look at the bigger pictures, but you have to look down when you fly. Their are so many people who want nothing to do with war but get thrown into it all the time and end up dying because of it. Sometimes...weather you want to be or not. You get to be a hero, no matter what shape or size. Even a tiny ultralink like yourself...can save one life. Your dad did...he saved my dad." Max said turning Near around brushing the tears from her face. He nearly jumped out of his skin when she threw her arms around his midsection and hugged him.

"You make so much more sense then you know." Near said taking his hand and walking back down the hall the way she came.

Outside the base the wind began to pick up and rain.

Jim sighed as he saw Max being pulled along with Near. Steel ran forward practically taking Nears face off hugging her so hard.

"Where did you go!"

"Looks like she followed Jefferson to the break room." Max said.

"Don't wonder off like that! You nearly gave me a spark attack!" Steel said squishing Nears cheeks together.

A loud but small whistling noise came from the hanger doors. Near looked over her shoulder at the door. She felt something different, she looked around at Jim and grabbed his sleeve. He looked down at her but followed her gaze. He slowly stepped forward seeing the doors slowly start to bow out.

"Hang on...this is going to get really bad." Jim said Max pushed his team into another room away from the huge windows just in time for the hanger door to get sucked completely out causing a reverse vacuum effect breaking all the windows in the room.

"Is everyone alright?" Jim called down into the hanger. Forge had came running down the hallway to see what the noise was.

"Mother of mars!" He yelled seeing the door was completely gone and nothing at all was outside. No wind, no more rain, nothing was there at all.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Authors Notes: I'll throw another Chapter later tomorrow. This ones short and I apologize. Got family around forest fires and hurricanes right now. Trying to get them evacuated.**_

* * *

 _ **The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 6**_

 _ **Forces**_

Everyone stood staring outside past where the door had been pulled out with incredible force. Yet nothing was outside, nothing at all. It was a bit upsetting and concerning to them. Near looked up at her dad. He kept trying to scan for something, anything that would cause such a phenomenon.

"I just don't get it..." Forge said looking at the door and then where it used to be. It was a clean pull almost as if someone willed it to bend one way then another. He walked outside and looked up and outside of the base.

"An ultralink sir?" Jefferson suggested.

"No...to...thought out." Forge said looking around at Jim who nodded running his hand over the hinges.

"I just don't get it. What happened to these doors?"

"How are we going to close the doors now?" Near asked not really expecting an answer.

"Get have an extra door. We can fit it in no time." Berto said looking at the technicians.

"These people really know how to do their job." Near said slightly amazed at what was going on. Two tanks were positioned outside the base as well as several guards. They would be there till the door was fixed.

"Whatever it was...its targeting us." Steel hitched a ride on Nears shoulder going back inside.

Suddenly as Near stepped into the base the entire power grid went offline.

"Uh oh..." Alex said squinting his eyes looking through the door seeing his team easily, but everyone else not to well.

"Are you going to be alright Near?" She was clutching Steel to her chest.

"I'm alright. I just was surprised is all." Near said looking up at Jim who patted her head walking by to look over the turbine reactors.

"Its been overheated." He said looking up at Berto. "These don't look any better." He called down to his new boss.

"Its kind of scary isn't it? All this stuff shouldn't have happened...but it has." Rayne said backing into Cytro. He put his hand on her back protectively.

"Perhaps we should find a safe zone?" Cytro suggested. Jim nodded his head and pointed toward the door.

"I agree with Cytro. We should get everyone to the inner most part of the base. It'll be safer there with all four walls around us. Whatever is this is...I'm sure its already inside." Jim said pulling out his cell phone pecking at it.

"Calling for reinforcements?" Forge asked.

"No telling Molly we might be late for dinner."

"Oh...same thing." Forge shrugged his shoulder. Near giggled trying to stay positive. Although inside her she was very scared. She looked down at Steel still in her arms.

"It doesn't eat Ultralinks...right?" Steels eye grew bigger with it looked this way and that.

"Oh I hope not..." Near followed closely behind Max who she could feel was amused by their fear.

"Scardy links." He teased. Near stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't tease Max. Poor Near is the one scared...I'm just...scared for her thats all." He tried to rationalize his fear. "Besides...what could do all this?"

"What indeed?" Everyone in the room heard the voice over the intercom. "Oh where could he be? Did you miss me?" A huge screen turned on along the wall. A familiar face of Miles Dredd flashed.

"I knew you were alive Dredd...just didn't care." Jim said having displayed his distaste for the man after the Morphos incident a few years back.

"I hear a few secrets here and there." Dredd said motioning toward Max.

"Some curious...secrets. Like how your little turbo team has grown from two to five. How...fascinating. Wonder how you did that." He chuckled slowly almost like venum was dripping from his fangs...if he still had teeth.

"What do you want Dredd?"

"What everyone else wants. What Mortum had. That neat little toy of yours could make me whatever I want right? How fascinating."

"Its destroyed Dredd...when Mortum was killed it was destroyed with him."

"Oh but you've made another...I have...ways of knowing. You have a few leakers in your business...one of which is your surveillance systems. I can peek in and see whatever your doing...whenever I want." His eyes went from Jim to Near. Near gasped and jumped behind Max.

"I don't know what your talking about Dredd." Max said blocking Dredds sight of Near. "This is my sister."

"I could be wrong...but wasn't your dad missing for 16 years. Having another child like that would mean she's...either older then you or your mother isn't as faithful to your father as we would have hoped she would be." Dredd suggested.

"Adopted." Jim said hatred written all over his face. "But that doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. Give her to me, or I'll take her by force. Either way...she's mine tonight."

"I'm not Connect Tech." Near said out loud looking at Dredd. His eyes flared looking over the girl.

"Yes or no Jim." Not wanting to listen to the young girl.

"She isn't connect tech Dredd." Jim said.

"Last...chance." His finger hovered over a button for a second...then he pressed it. The doors locked and the vents began to spew purple gas. Almost immediately everyone within except Steel, Near, and Cytro began to cough.

"Max!" Steel linked up with him covering his face with the helmet. Everyone else however fell to their knees coughing.

"Keep her safe Max..." Jim coughed out. Everyone had passed out within seconds. Max held Near to him. She was shivering to scared to link up. This was what she was for.

"Have you ever wondered...if you could ask Connect Tech for anything...what would it be?" Max asked trying to get Near to calm down long enough to link up. Near stopped panicking for a few seconds. It worked, and she disappeared into her chest.

"Oh very curious...but still not good enough." Dredd fired something at Max forcing both Near and Steel to become dislodged from Max and all of which passed out. Cytro ran forward firing his cannons at Dredd. Naught jumped through the ceiling and crashed down right on top of him.

"Well thats one way to do it." He said smiling happily.

Dredd grabbed up the passed out Near and walked toward the door.

"We're done here Mr. Naught." Dredd said.

"We could kill him right now sir."

"Oh but then we'll loose my best chance at entertainment..." Dredd said.


	7. Chapter 7

_**The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 7**_

 _ **Underwater Base**_

Max could hear voices all around him as he came to. He had woke up in the same room he had woken up when he first found out about N Tek. Steel was 'pacing' as he waited for Jim to finish his medical report on Max. Pretty much the only person in N Tek to actually know what was under Max's hood so to speak.

"Max!" Steel exclaimed looking down at his best friend. "He hit you pretty hard. Even my electrodes weren't enough to wake you up...actually the only person that woke up was your dad. Everyone else is still out...even Cytro and the rest of the team. Whatever was in that gas...was powerful." Steel said looking around at Rayne who was in the bed next to them.

"This isn't good..." Max said having been linked to Near he could feel her fear, and he was sure Steel could too. Suddenly though she calmed down having felt Max's call. She couldn't communicate like Steel and Max could. Not yet anyways, perhaps with more practice they could. But it was hard for Max to pick out what he was feeling or seeing because the way Near communicated through the link was with images. Right now he was looking at an evil looking dog.

"do we have a plan?" Max asked his dad. Jim looked at Max and Steel.

"Looks like we get to do this old school with just you two. Sneak in and out." Jim said helping his son off the medical bed.

* * *

Near had woke up expecting to be in her cozy pajamas Molly had suggested since it was so cold out. She expected to be in the bed with her brother Max and her father Steel only...she wasn't. When she woke up she shivered, and hugged herself. She had woken up on a metal floor of what looked like a bird cage hanging over the machine room of Dredds fortress. She looked down trying to be as quiet as possible crawling across the metal floor. She peeked over to see Dredd and Naught standing on one side of what looked like a very large machine. Within was something she could only just see. It was a large triangular tube. She couldn't tell what was inside, but knowing Dredd it wasn't anything good. She sat back down checking her turbo reserves and sighed. Six hours more, it would be best if she just sat down and let herself relax. She wasn't going anywhere anytime soon so it would be best to just sit down and wait.

"Good evening little Steel." Dredd tried to sound welcoming...or just sarcastic. Near wasn't a very good judge.

"My name isn't Little Steel." She said hugging her knees sighing loudly to show her displeasure of even talking to him.

"Oh...and just what would your name be?" He started to lower the cage down to the ground level.

" My dad named me Near." She said matter of factually. Her eyes were cast at the floor, but Dredd could see her shivering where she was.

"Perhaps putting on something a bit warmer would help?" Dredd suggested.

"It wouldn't matter...its a hologram."

"Said the machine whose shivering." Dredd threw back at her. Near suddenly realize that she was a machine...why was she shivering much less cold in the first place.

"Their are a lot of things about me I have yet to understand. I was after all born yesterday." She checked her internal clock for a second. "Well...its been two days ago now." She corrected herself.

"Oh my so young...well...if you are to get on with your little life with a weird name and living alone inside N Teks base."

"I am not alone. I stay with my father." She stood up glaring at Dredd. Her Ultralink eye flared

"Ooo a hot head just like daddy dear hum?" Naught laughed.

"Well...it is only a matter of time before Steel gets tired of you and throws you aside just like everything else he's had. He even throw Jim aside for a younger model." Dredd said

"Thats not true! I seen his memories. Jim left for sixteen years and he went offline. He couldn't help it!"

"Oh really...and you want to believe that?"

"My dad isn't a traitor." She reached through the bars trying to reach Dredd only to get laughed at.

"Temper temper little one. So...do you run on turbo too?" He ran his fingers over the bars feeling for the turbo energy laughing. "Oh you do don't you? So precious..."

"So Connect Tek are you going to help me? Or are you going to waste away in my lab?"

"I'm not Connect Tek!"

"Oh then what are you? Did they create you specifically to be Steels daughter because he wanted a pet or do you have an actual function. If you aren't...where is it?" Dredd asked holding his hand up collected a little of her energy. It caused her to be pulled forward against the bars. She felt the immediate energy drain.

'Max!' She tried to call out to Max.

* * *

Max could feel her calling to him again. They knew where to look only getting there was the hard part. In the middle of the ocean under water...in the middle of a hurricane. Flying there proved to be almost impossible so he had to swim there. He had one point even tried to run on water. It didn't work. Steel just laughed at his idea and suggested just doing speed/scuba combo It looked more like a merman but it worked and they were traveling fast now.

"Steel...we need to hurry they're draining her."

"She won't last Max. She's like me once she's Zero she'll stop functioning like me." Steel said

"This isn't good Steel...she's so weak." Max said having arrived at the base slowly swimming toward the opening. Swimming down the tube. Max peaked out of the water just in time to see Dredd pick Near up and put her onto a lab table much like what he himself had been on before.

"I'm beginning to see just where the Connect Tek is." Dredd finally said walking over to the console pushing a few buttons. He laughed and pointed toward Near.

"You are very clever but not very bright. Your protecting Connect Tek...its within you."

"I will not allow you to take it from me." Near panted out. Maxes heart flip flopped he wasn't sure how he was going to get her out of this one.

"Oh I have my ways of getting what I want." Dredd chuckled pushing a button.

Max felt the door on the tube below him close.

"Looks like we have guests. You see Max...I put surveillance up ever since your little visit last time. I'm not stupid. Have a seat." He motioned for him to sit down on a bed next to Near.

"Will you let her go?" Max asked.

"Eventually yes. When she out stays her welcome." Dredd motioned for Naught to help Max to his seat.

"Unless you want her dead that is." Naught said.

"Now Near...if you don't unlock Connect Tek as I asked then we'll just have to...do away..with Max and your dear daddy here."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Authors Notes: I'm writing this chapter with a massive fever, but I'm bored and have nothing better to do. I do apologize if its less then adequate**_

* * *

 _ **The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 8**_

 _ **I can**_

The wasn't sure just what happened before hand. She knew she was being threatened by Dredd. She knew Max was in the room. Then it was like a hallow noise entered the room and she was on her back. She tried to look around, but everything around her was in slow motion. Nothing appeared to have made the noise. No one new was in the room, just herself, Naught, Dredd, her dad, and brother...right? Then she saw it...the elementors. They should have been the ones making that loud noise. It had made her ears pop, and she was to weak to counter the gust of wind.

"So...this is the thing you wanted?" The air elementor was probably the one that was causing all the trouble at the base.

"It is."

"She's not an it!" Steel popped free from Max's chest plate and hovered over Near. He scanned her and looked around at Dredd. "She's a person, she was reverse engineered from me. Unlike me she has needs." Steel drooped a little and looked at Max who nodded his head and took off his backpack walking over to Steel.

"And what do you think your doing?" Dredd asked crossing his arms a little more amused then annoyed.

Max tried to get by Dredd. "She's liquid cooled. If I don't give her water she'll deactivate."

"Then give me Connect Tek."

"I think you know where it is Dredd...go find it. Leave us alone."

"Ah but its here...in this very room...and..." Dredd leaned down looking over Near and then up at Steel. "I don't think you know that...do you? She doesn't trust either of you enough to tell you." Dredd chuckled darkly.

"N...No thats not it. I...I was just doing what was...programmed into me." Near panted

"Near?" Steel looked down at the girl he called daughter.

"I...don't want to be a weapon." Near made a noise as if she were crying, but just didn't have the energy to do so. "Neither does she." Near touched her chest plate.

"You've had the Connect Tek in you this whole time!" Steel asked her, he could see her energy level was in the red. Any minute now she would either overheat or her energy reserves would go. She was just going to let it.

"The needs of the many out weight the needs of the few dad...one little ultralink...just this one. Through the choice I make now. I will save them all." Near said "I refuse...to be...a weapon." The line hit red and she began to overheat. An internal meter began to beep loudly.

"Dredd if you don't let me save my baby so help me their will be nothing left of you." Steel swore. Max shoved Dredd out of the way catching him by surprise.

'Through the choices I make I can save the world.' Nears words echoed in Max's head. She had no guns, or armor, she didn't know how to fight, or even in self defense.

"What does she think she's doing?!" Dredd yelled. He didn't plan on her just giving up. He thought him using Max or Steel against her would get what he wanted. But she was deleting herself from the whole agenda. Dredd stood dumbfounded as Max and Steel transformed into strength mode and hit him in the back causing him to fall into the cage. It locked on its own having been shoved so hard. Naught was flung into an elevator and a piece of machinary shoved into it to block his way.

Steel disengaged and looked down at Near. She was hardly panting now. Max picked her up and pulled her into his arms. Steel handed him a bottle of water. He pressed it against the young girls lips hoping. She didn't open her eyes. Max pulled her head back so he could just pore it in. When he did it made a hissing noise as if an egg was put onto a hot pan.

It hurt when the water was pored into her mouth. She cringed, but the feeling subsided quickly allowing for Max to fill up her water reserve. Its not like she had enough energy to do it herself.

When the bottle was empty Max looked at the energy reserve on the monitor.

"Steel do you think you can help her into position. I'm kind of on the edge here." Max said if he moved over a little more he'd probably fall off.

"I got her." He whispered taking hold of her shoulders and pulled her up a bit allowing for Max to get a bit more comfortable. Steel linked up and Max let Near fall onto his chest plate. It took her a second to respond and disappear like she normally did.

"You can't hide her forever Max Steel!" Dredd yelled from his bird cage. He fired his hand lasers down at them it connected with a console which sparked and caught fire.

"I don't think that was such a good idea Dredd..." Max laughed. The fire warnings echoed throughout the base and opened the blast doors in the floor where Max had entered.

* * *

"Near can you hear me?" Steels voice echoed in her head now. She wasn't physically harmed luckily, although she was built to withstand a great amount of punishment because of her occupation. She had the same armor that Max did or so Steel says.

"Yes dad I'm alright now, thank you both."

"You were willing to give your life for the people on this planet." Max said. she could feel his sadness through the link. She looked toward her father and could also feel the same sadness. She wasn't sure if the sadness was the same or shared. But they were greatly disappointed in her choice to delete her own existence. She wasn't going to have it. It was her choice to make.

"Well if you both are mad at me for making such a choice you two should do better in protecting me so I no longer have to make those choices now shouldn't you?" Near growled out. "It was my choice to make! This is me, and I chose. I can not fight like you two can, I have to do what I can with what I have...which is nothing!"

"You have us." Max said.

"I...I don't want to ask you to hurt yourselves for me."

"Its kind of our job." Steel said. "We're family."

This didn't have much time to sink in. A explosion caused a shockwave through the water. The elementors finally showed off where they had disappeared to knowing perfectly well that Max would foil Dredds plans as he always had before. They however had a plan. Ahead of them a few explosives detonated some sea shelf's. The rocks fell in and around Max pinning him to the ground. Max tried to push the huge rocks off himself, but their were to many, and it was way to heavy. He was surrounded by it.

"Max our air supply has been cut off. I think one of your gill vents have been hit." Slowly...very slowly Max would die down there with the elementor watching to make sure.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Authors Notes: Well this is it. I'll have a few one shots that'll lead up to the second one.**_

* * *

 _ **The Key**_

 _ **Chapter 9**_

 _ **Ask**_

Max could feel the pressure down on his chest, and it kept increasing. He tried to move the rocks but the only thing he succeeding in doing was causing the rocks to shift and increase the weight on his chest all over again.

"Max stop." Steels voice was now an echo in his head. "You're going to crush us all." Steel said.

"Have you tried sending a distress signal?" Max said.

"Yeah they're right above us, but they don't have anything that could get to this depth fast enough. I'd have to be able to get up to your dad to do anything productive and well...I'm suck...on your chest." Steel said and sighed. "I"m sorry Max."

"Nah don't be buddy. It would have happened sooner or later." Max sighed closing his eyes.

"Ask..." Near said this sort of confused Max who was trying to conserve oxygen.

"Ask what?" Steel said.

"Connect Tek."

"Near...I..." Max sighed thinking of the better way to say it.

"You don't know what to ask for?"

"Well I am kind of dying here." Max said

"You asked me once...what do I think she would ask for if she could." Near whispered Max could feel her curiosity now. It was almost overwhelming.

"I remember." Max prodded trying to get her to go on.

"I thought about it a lot laying there on that table talking to Dredd. What would she want? What could she personally want that she couldn't have. Something no one else could give her...then I realized one thing."

Steel felt it before Max did. A sudden pull of energy.

"She would like to choose for herself." Near said and Max felt the smile, the pure excitement, and then the sudden realization that their was a third mind within him the entire time. Watching, waiting, thinking, and even judging them. Said mind was coming forward. The energy pulse broke the rocks apart and pushed them upwards. It didn't take long to break the surface.

Steel pulled away from Max looking over the vents.

"Steel...?" Max called to Steel.

"Yeah uh huh...hang on a minute buddy I gotta fix this thing or..." He looked up to see who they thought was Near for a second there. But it was a second femme. One with short hair and bright glowing blue eyes.

"You asked of me a question...what I could have wanted if I could choose for myself...and I said the ability to choose. I choose...a self." The voice was rather smooth and honestly she sounded like she was singing to Max.

"A self?"

"This form. Is it not alright?" She looked at Near who hovered up to look around the femme.

"It looks to be proper enough. Legs, arms, head, hair...whatever those are." she pocked her boobs.

"They are the same size as yours. I figured it would be alright."

"Your eyes thought...they aren't right."

"You have an odd eye too...like fathers there." She pointed to Steel

"Father? Another one!" Max looked around at Steel who was just pointing at Connect Tek.

"I'm a daddy...again."

"Steel...you have got to slow down ro-bro." Max laughed splashing him.

"You may call me Tek." The girl said motioning to the ship hovering above us. "Is this our ride?" Tek asked

"Looks like it." Steel said attaching back to Max transforming into flight mode. "Come on ladies." Steel said

Tek and Near landed right next to Max.

"Whose this?" Forge asked having enough of surprises.

"Its alright Forge just my other baby." Steel said pretty much jumping in place.

"Oh really...so explain to me what kind of daughter she is?"

"It would appear the connect tek has formed a will of its own." Jim said and sighed. "Max...Molly. I think we need a bigger place."

* * *

 _A month later_

It was a rather sizable home with a screened in back porch, large living room, and small kitchen, five bedrooms, and a garage that could be converted into a lab. Their were a lot of trees out front and a pond to the side to swim in.

Max once again came back out to grab more boxes from the moving van. The girls were unpacking the kitchen so they were able to eat something that night. Steel popped out of one of the boxes and pointed to the tree farthest in the yard.

"We should put up a tree house...and tell stories...and put a sign up that says 'no girls aloud' that way we have out own fortress of solitude." Steel said and looked up at Molly.

"Or you can just go to your room and that could be it." Molly said. The past few days with those two girls was almost unbearable. They would sit on the couch always near one another. They would look at one another and smile...but never say anything. Kind of weird. Almost like they had their own hidden language. But according to them they weren't actually saying anything. They just knew what needed to be done or said. It was strange really, but Steel thought it was the coolest thing ever.

"Oh you know you love them." Jim said putting another box down in the living room.

"Yeah...but it would just be cool to have a spot for me and my brother to just be guys."

"Like foot ball nights?" Near asked walking up to Steel bumping her forehead to his before walking out. A hug to them. Tek didn't hug...not even a little. She wasn't that emotional. Actually the only thing she's ever done with Steel was smile and tell him good night while just tapping his 'hand' It was enough though.

"Yeah sports, and action movies and...burping!"

"Steel you don't fart or burp remember?" Max said

"A guy can dream Max!"

"Silly." Near giggled.


End file.
